Various attempts have been made in the past to pre-assemble hose clamps on hoses. See, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,365,218 which describes and illustrates the use of a staple which penetrates into the hose. U.S. Pat. No. 4,882,814 shows the use of metallic retaining plates or arms. U.S. Pat. No. 5,002,094 employs a less than circumferential band of rubber which must be molded and vulcanized over a portion of the clamp. It is felt that this latter arrangement restricts the circumferential expansion of the hose and, thus, its assemblability over nipples in the end use application such as radiator and heater hoses in motor vehicle manufacturing U.S. Pat. No. 5,234,233 utilizes a rubber band having an aperture therein to hold the hose clamp about the hose.
There is, therefore, a need for a hose/clamp assembly which does not invade the integrity of the hose, provides a positive retention of the clamp on the hose at a pre-determined location and orientation and does not require additional operations such as molding and vulcanization.
According to the practice of the present invention, there is provided a hose/clamp assembly comprising a hose having a protrusion thereon, the protrusion has a stem portion proximate the hose and a head portion distal therefrom; and a hose clamp having a first slot of sufficient size to receive the head portion of the protrusion and a second slot as a continuation of the first slot which is narrower than the head portion of the protrusion to receive the stem portion of the protrusion.
There is also disclosed a method of attaching a hose clamp to a hose comprising: (a) providing a hose with a protrusion having a stem portion proximate one end of the hose and a head portion distal from the hose; (b) providing a clamp with a first slot of sufficient size to receive the head portion of the protrusion and a second slot as a continuation of the first slot to receive the stem portion; (c) placing the first slot over the head portion of the protrusion; and (d) rotating the clamp relative to the hose to engage the stem portion of the protrusion in the second slot.